I have come to this site 4-5 times a day to get inspiration from all of you. I am four weeks into JUDDD now and I appreciate the patience and guidance of this group. I have tried JUDDD not only for weight loss, but because of all the other health benefits this style of living is supposed to bring such as overall decrease in inflammation, decrease in cholesterol, etc. I need the health benefits as much as I do weight loss.

Some of the people have posted non-scale victories in various threads that have really inspired me. Someone talked about how her under eye bags are flattening, someone wrote about how it was controlling their binge behavior. It would be very helpful to me if I had one thread to come to in order to review these inspirations when I am in need of a lift. I was wondering if people could list the various non-scale victories and health benefits they have seen by being on JUDDD as well as how long they have been on the program. I imagine the longer you are on it, the more benefits you see.

That would be so helpful to me. TIA!

__________________
Good broth resurrects the dead. ~ South American Proverb

1. I have substantially more energy
2. I can have carby foods in the house such as chocolate and not eat it all! I don’t feel that desperation that comes with the feeling that I am going to starve or be deprived for a long period of time. Before, I would eat the whole carton of ice cream, or whole bar of chocolate, or whole bag of cookies. I no longer feel the compulsion to do that.
3. The arthritis in my fingers is aching less

__________________
Good broth resurrects the dead. ~ South American Proverb

Awesome Beverly
Mine is.
I m back for two days now eating JUddd like.
I've been running/ exercising with any low energy.
The first time I tried eying like this was fine until right at my 2 week..
Then came supper bowl, birthdays, and no energy.
SO THOSE DAYS R OVER!
I feel good today.
I don't usually get today that often.
From my lite eating yesterday nd then today eating good. I no I have lots water retention.
Makes me want to dance!
I will tonight with hubby. Happy Vallentines dance everyone!

Great thread! I've been doing this since late October, so a little over 3.5 months now. Some of my non-scale victories so far:

1) overall appetite suppression most of the time (aside from a couple days pre-TOM and around OV time)
2) serious improvement in allergy symptoms (the boxes of kleenex in our closet just aren't getting used up anymore)
3) better sleep and more energy
4) reduction in under-eye bag size and puffiness (yes I've noticed this one too!)
5) having a normal and good relationship with food
6) honestly wanting to eat good wholesome food most of the time, because they really do give the most nutritional and satisfaction bang for the buck
7) understanding a lot more about the hows and whys of my own body
8) starting to see some body composition changes in a very positive direction lately, which is a huge one for me since my belly looks like it's finally starting to give (being a round ball of apple-shape, how I've longed for an actual visible waistline!)

better energy, appetite suppression,
got rid of a bag of clothes that were a size too big
my next size pants are looser now
not stressed about eating like a normal human most days, peaceful about being empty some days...I find that fascinating. I perceive that the 12 hour UDs are filling most of my cup, instead of dwelling on the 36 hour DDs. That is hugely positive for me.
feeling positive about encouraging myself to exercise every morning, feeling fitter
my rings are looser, my favorite right hand ring had to move to my middle finger to not fall off (:
people are saying I look thinner, especially through the waist...lots of "have you lost weight" queries even though I haven't lost a huge amount on the scale

__________________ Find someone to love today, especially yourself.
Eat well and be well! Use your local farmacy! Do more YOGA!

I heal faster. I had a bad fall a couple of weeks ago and within days I noticed I was much better.

I sleep better. I go to bed and get up at the same times as always, but I only wake up a couple of times instead of many, many times throughout the night.

I tied my shoes the other day like a normal person. I didn't even realize at first, but I had my knee pulled all the way up to my chest instead of laying my foot across the opposite knee.

Within a month or so, I should be able to shop at a "regular" store with "regular" sizes, instead of in the plus size clothing.

I used to get very upset and emotional if I didn't have regular meals. I was sure it was hypoglycemia, but now that I've been fasting, I know that's just not the case. I don't have an emotional need to eat, and am learning to pay attention to the physical cues instead.

I can eat out with friends and go to parties and enjoy myself, without having to worry about my food choices, or what may be available. Even on a DD, I have managed to go to a party and eat relatively normally.

People are coming to me to ask for diet advice! I'm still very overweight, but I've lost enough where people are paying attention to what/how I eat, and ask for pointers.

I don't feel like a freak trying to do things like ice skating and roller skating with my daughter. We go and we have fun. I'm enough thinner where I am starting to feel more comfortable in my own skin.

I could probably go on. This is not a diet for me. This is the first time I've ever really considered a "plan" as a way of life!

-better muscle tone. JUDDD really does seem to preserve muscle while it rids us of the fat. I sometimes press on my legs because I can't believe the fat layer is gone and I'm feeling tight, lean muscle. Never felt this before. It's like I have someone else's body who is toned and fit and yet I do very little exercise.

-more body awareness... seem to be more in tune with what's going on in my body, what is true hunger and what is just head hunger. More in control of what I eat and when I eat it, without the frantic feeling that comes when there are banned foods and other restrictions.

__________________
Started JUDDD 10/12/11 after LC.MAINTENANCE since 11/12/11, & have lost more weight. I shake things up all the time with my version of Pirate Jenny's MUDDD, my "Fast 5" & other IF. ...low-moderate fat....and eating "healthy" foods 75+% of the time which lets me have real life and indulgences too I've reached my goals, improved my health & appearance, and enjoy my lifetime woe!

I know that this doesn't really have anything to do with JUDDD, but with it being my first UD and me feeling all happy and frisky n stuff, I'm gonna pretend it does.

My husband threw 2 different things at me today while we were sitting on the couch. BOTH times, the object missed and landed beside me or in front of me. The second time it happened I yelled "YAAAAAAAAH! I'M INVINCIBLE!!!!!"

Kind of related to JUDDD.
Decided to get on the exercise thread since I haven't exercised in over two years. Guess I can't use my foot surgery as an excuse any longer. Sooooo I drug out my TTAPP tapes and started. After two days I already feel better. TTAPP really helps with stretching and body alignment and flexibility. If I had not started JUDDD I doubt I would have started TAPP'ing again. I am just lazy about exercise. So it is connected to JUDDD in a round about way.
Plus I aslo feel calmer. Relaxed?? Less inclined to get upset about anything. Mellow?? Kind of nice feeling really.
Besides drinking coffee, I now drink plain water out of the tap at home. Use the bottled water dispenser at work becasue the city water tastes really bad.

This is seriously good stuff. You guys rock. Thanks for adding to this thread.

I forgot one that is kind of big for me. I am usually very resistant to counting calories due to years of that torture. But I have been faithfully monitoring my up day calories and the calorie counters these days make it really easy.

Well just from monitoring for a month, I can see where I was having a major problem. I can't even imagine how many calories I must have been eating before. I have generous up days of 2100 kcal and I still think I was going way over that before.
Just going to a restaurant for dinner can easily take you to 1500 kcal. Even so many main dish salads run from 800-1000 calories!! I was drinking lots of cream in my many coffees and just those were 100 kcal a cup. THen add in the Trader Joe's rosemary marcona almonds and I could easily eat a whole package.

I don't understand people who can't get there calories high enough. That will never be me because I love nuts and avocados and nut butter and butter on my veges etc. But from this process I am really learning portion control and how to not overeat my allotted amount.

For me, this is HUGE!! for JUDDD!

__________________
Good broth resurrects the dead. ~ South American Proverb

Beverly - I too was amazed at how my LC calories were before I started JUDDD. HWC in my breakfast coffee. I must have had 300 calories in cream every morning. Then eggs scrambled in coconut oil. Then fullfat salad dressing at lunch. Just guessing, I have probably cut my LC calories in half at least on JUDDD. I certainly have no problem reaching my UD calories.

I posted this in the woo hoo thread, but DH's blood pressure has dropped significantly. He was taking medication twice a day to control it, which I understand is rather unusual, but he needed it. In less than two weeks, he's needed to discontinue his evening meds because his readings all day long are lower than 120/80. He's hoping to get off all the blood pressure meds.

__________________

"before" from the bad old days.

"Success occurs in clusters and is born in generosity" --Julia Cameron

I posted this in the woo hoo thread, but DH's blood pressure has dropped significantly. He was taking medication twice a day to control it, which I understand is rather unusual, but he needed it. In less than two weeks, he's needed to discontinue his evening meds because his readings all day long are lower than 120/80. He's hoping to get off all the blood pressure meds.

Everyone's posts are so exciting to me. It is so inspiring!!! But this one is one I really needed to see. I need to get my BP down and I don't want to take more meds than I already take. This gives me great hope. Congrats to DH and fingers crossed for him.

__________________
Good broth resurrects the dead. ~ South American Proverb

Don't know if this is a true "victory," but I've been taking FOREVER to lose. I've been JUDDDing since early Nov., and have only lost 15 lbs.
HOWEVER, that is because I've been lazy about sticking closely to my numbers.
So, my non-scale "victory" is that in all those 17 weeks, I HAVE NEVER GAINED! It's all been weight loss or (inadvertent) maintenance.

This is seriously good stuff. You guys rock. Thanks for adding to this thread.

I forgot one that is kind of big for me. I am usually very resistant to counting calories due to years of that torture. But I have been faithfully monitoring my up day calories and the calorie counters these days make it really easy.

Well just from monitoring for a month, I can see where I was having a major problem. I can't even imagine how many calories I must have been eating before. I have generous up days of 2100 kcal and I still think I was going way over that before.
Just going to a restaurant for dinner can easily take you to 1500 kcal. Even so many main dish salads run from 800-1000 calories!! I was drinking lots of cream in my many coffees and just those were 100 kcal a cup. THen add in the Trader Joe's rosemary marcona almonds and I could easily eat a whole package.

I don't understand people who can't get there calories high enough. That will never be me because I love nuts and avocados and nut butter and butter on my veges etc. But from this process I am really learning portion control and how to not overeat my allotted amount.

For me, this is HUGE!! for JUDDD!

I'm with you. I have only been on this WOE since last Wednesday, and let me tell you, I don't know how people can't get enough calories in either. While I have a hard time psychologically eating the calories when "dieting," physically, I am like, "oh, I have 500 more calories to eat!" and I immediately find something else awesome to eat. I'm with you on the avocados, nut butters, cheeses, etc. YUM.

My non-scale victories so far:
1) Waking up on the day TOM started and being back down to 175.7, which I had not seen since the Friday before I started JUDDD (so, the 3rd. I started JUDDD the 8th with a DD).

2) My pants that were getting too tight and uncomfortable (that I had just bought) are now fitting comfortably and I are even a little loosey goosey in the waist

3) My fat pants are loose and even a little butt saggy.

4) My attitude about food is changing slowly. It is freeing to think, "oh, I'll just have that tomorrow" because nothing is off limits. This is HUGE for me. Off limits foods send me into a shame/overfeeding downward spiral.

OOh I love non-scale victories!
Only my third week here, so I don't have too much to report yet. Well, even though this is a scale-related victory: weight loss! I was in a plateau for a loooong time prior to JUDDD.

Anyway,

1. Definitely feel a better relationship with food forming. I can enjoy date night or birthdays without feeling guilty.

2. My skin looks nicer

3. Less coffee in my life (don't care to waste so many cals on cream), therefore better sleep!

4. Even though I have worked the plan *perfectly* I love that I'm still on it! I'm still counting and tracking and losing!...I just love the flexibility of not "ruining" a day/week/month with bad eating.

I'm the kind of gal that has trouble using up her cals And hope to improve that as well as choosing better foods on my UD. I'm still stuck on indulgent mode.

Everyone's posts are so exciting to me. It is so inspiring!!! But this one is one I really needed to see. I need to get my BP down and I don't want to take more meds than I already take. This gives me great hope. Congrats to DH and fingers crossed for him.

Beverly, I hope this WOE will do that for you. I'll be sure to post so you can see it if/when anything else changes along these lines. You too!

__________________

"before" from the bad old days.

"Success occurs in clusters and is born in generosity" --Julia Cameron

It truly did! Quite freeing actually. It is after 9pm on my DD and I stuck to less than 300 calories today. AND I feel great, really great. Light and empty, but not hollow. We have a family day trip to breakfast and the Bronx Zoo and I can look forward to lots of walking, healthy snacks and no worries on my UD.

For decades I have had ugly pouches under my eyes (historical proof of years of sinus infections I think). In week five they started tightening up. I think this shows some long-term inflammation is going bye-bye. Still have a way to go but golly, I don't miss them.